The following section describes the background of the present invention.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to magnetic placement of fresh- and saltwater fish tank aeration devices.
2. Description of Related Art
Musgrave (U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,824) teaches an aquatic animal feeding assembly for use with aquariums, tanks, pools or the like. The feeding assembly comprises an outer magnet placed adjacent to an outer surface of the aquarium wall and an inner magnet placed opposite the outer magnet on the inner surface of the aquarium wall such that the magnets attract each other against the aquarium wall. A food holder is attached to the inner magnet within the aquarium for releasably holding food within the aquarium. The magnets generate an attractive magnetic force sufficient to hold each other in place opposite the aquarium wall. In addition, the outer magnet may be moved along the aquarium wall to thereby move the inner magnet and the food holder to a desirable location within the aquarium.
Muscroft (U.S. Pat. No. 5,515,570) teaches a tool for wiping windows by means of a ceramic rectangular permanent magnet, or magnets, which has wiper blades attached. This unit is called the slave unit. On the opposite side of the window surface is a ceramic rectangular permanent magnet or magnets, which is called the master unit. When the two units are placed opposite each other across the window surface the magnetic attraction pulls the slave unit wiper blades against the window surface. When the master unit is moved across the window surface, the slave unit follows in unison on the other side and the wiper blades flip-flop wiping the window clear.
Rofen (U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,109) teaches an apparatus for cleaning the inner wall surfaces of an aquarium tank including a pair of magnetic assemblies adapted for mutual magnetic engagement. Both assemblies include an outer housing of waterproof material and a planar surface adapted to impinge on the aquarium walls. A scrubber pad is laminated to at least one planar surface of the assemblies, and a strong permanent magnet is secured within the protective enclosure of each housing. One assembly impinges its scrubber surface on the inner surface of an aquarium wall, and the other assembly is disposed directly adjacent to the inner assembly and in magnetic engagement therewith. Translating movement of the outer assembly causes concomitant movement of the inner assembly, whereby the scrubber surface of the inner assembly is translated across the inner surface of the aquarium wall for cleaning purposes. A float is secured by a line or cord to the magnetic assembly disposed within the aquarium. If the inner assembly disengages from the outer assembly, and falls to the bottom of the aquarium, the float will remain at the surface of the water in the aquarium, and the inner assembly may be retrieved by grasping the float and pulling the line and inner assembly from the water. The float permits the inner assembly to be retrieved without requiring any exposure of the hands or clothing to the aquarium water, and with minimal disturbance to the fish within the aquarium.
Wang (U.S. Pat. No. D466,259 S) teaches an ornamental design for a magnetic cleaning scrap-slab for an aquarium.
Kissick et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,378) teaches a system and method for filtering waste and debris from an aquarium tank and from the water supply therein without having to empty the tank or remove the fish therefrom. The invention generally includes a movable cleaner positioned adjacent to the bottom surface of the tank so that the movable cleaner dislodges waste and debris deposited thereon and directs the dislodged waste and debris toward an aperture to be conducted away from the bottom surface of the tank. The movable cleaner preferably comprises a barrier structure and moving means preferably comprises mechanical structure positioned externally of the tank. The waste-carrying water may be filtered and then returned to the aquarium or replaced with fresh water.
Roesel (U.S. Pat. No. 3,208,090) teaches a cleander for the inner surface of the walls of an aquarium including a controller and a follower, the follower including a plastic carrying body having a centrally located magnet receiving indentation and end located cleaning element receiving indentations at two sides of the magnet receiving indentation, partitions separating the indentations, a ferrite magnet in the magnet receiving indentations, the magnet being double poled, a metal plate in the magnet receiving indentation and engaging the inner surface of the magnet to complete the magnetic flux path and thereby reduce the magnetic reluctance in the back of the magnet and provide additional magnetic force in the front of the magnet, cleaning sponges of inert material in the cleaning element receiving indentations and having their outer cleaning surfaces extending outwardly of the outer surfaces of the magnet, and glide pins carried by the body and extending outwardly of the outer surface of the magnet and terminating inwardly of the outer surfaces of the cleaning sponges, to prevent contact of the magnet with a surface being cleaned but permit contact of the cleaning sponges with such surface.
To properly aerate a fish tank, the powerhead must be moved approximately every 12 hours between the top and the bottom of the tank. At present, powerheads are commonly held in place against the wall of a fish tank with one or more suction cups. This means the caretaker must insert a foreign object, such as his or her hands or another grasping device, into the water of the tank twice per day to move the powerhead. This can cause contamination of the tank's water with the oils and dirt associated with human hands. This contamination can be harmful to the delicately balanced ecosystem within a fish tank, especially within a saltwater fish tank.
The prior art teaches the use of magnets for use in moving and holding scrubbers and fish feeding devices without the need to insert a foreign object into the fish tank. However, no means of moving a powerhead other than with hands or another grasping device is disclosed. Thus, there is a previously unmet need in the art for a means to move a powerhead within a fish tank without introducing hands or other foreign objects into the ecosystem of the tank.